By several metrics, the Denver Broncos had one of the best defenses in the NFL last season.
Vance Joseph's unit ranked first in sacks (68), second in yards allowed (278.2 per game) and third in points allowed (18.3 per game). If there was one notable area where the Broncos' defense lacked, it was takeaways.
Denver only grabbed 10 interceptions (17 other teams had more) and only forced four fumbles (tied for second-fewest in the NFL). Overall, the team's 14 takeaways were tied for the fifth-fewest in the NFL.
Going into the 2026 campaign, forcing turnovers has been a point of emphasis for the Broncos.
"[S]ome of it was circumstance," Joseph said of last season's totals. "I think our focus has to always be playing great defense. That's [on] first
and second down, stopping the run, being great in the red zone and being great on third downs. Those things can't change, but you can still focus on getting the ball. That's for me, schematically, having more eyes on the ball with pressure. That's our players catching the football. [That’s] our players when they're sacking a quarterback, breaking the elbow and causing more forced fumbles. So it's all of us, but it starts with me pushing it and making sure we fix that problem.”
Speaking earlier this summer, safety Talanoa Hufanga said takeaways were the "first thing" stressed by the defensive staff during the offseason.
“For us, it's just really attacking the ball," Hufanga said. "Whether it's in the air or in the ground game. For everybody, it was really just a lack of turnovers... We did a really good job of getting sacks, but how can we get to sacks with a force fumble? Or how can we change this pass deflection into an interception or a tip just to get somebody else an interception? It's been talked about and it's been drilled."
Hufanga did not record a single interception last season, despite having several promising opportunities.
"At the end of the day, guys were working in the offseason to really make sure that's a point of emphasis," the safety said. "I think I talked to you guys about that last time. I really messed up last year when it came to those things. I left a lot of — we call it money — but money on the field as a team. For me, [I’m] going in and working and hopefully coming down with a few this year.”
The Broncos' defense has ranked among the NFL's best over the last two seasons, but there's room for improvement.
“I told the guys the very first day that we're not chasing what we've done in the last two years, but we're chasing the process that got us there," Joseph said. "That's tough for players and coaches alike. The process is tough, and it takes a long time to be really good at something. Once the season is over, what you did last year doesn't matter and that feels like a waste. Starting over is the key. Finding ways to get better. It was pretty good last year and the year before, but we have to find ways to get better [like] taking the ball away and those things. Helping our team win that way is our goal. Starting over and chasing the process is our goal and being better than we were last year.”
Denver's defense will get its first opportunity to take another step forward when they face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 1. KC only had 15 giveaways last fall, tied for the fourth-fewest in the NFL. So it will be a tough test for the Broncos' defense. They've put in the work this offseason. Now it's time to put it all together on the field.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Talanoa Hufanga reveals 'first thing' Broncos' defense wants to improve
